China said on Thursday that the Group of Seven nations should stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs, responding to a joint statement issued by G7 foreign ministers calling for a halt to the national security legislation for Hong Kong.  

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters at a daily briefing that China expresses strong indignation and opposition to the G7 statement. 

China has stressed on many occasions that the Hong Kong issue is purely China's internal affairs and does not allow any foreign interference, Zhao said.

The legislation will only plug the very apparent loopholes and legal vacuum in national security, he noted.

China is unswervingly determined to safeguard the prosperity and steadiness of Hong Kong and hopes foreign countries can objectively view the legislation and stop meddling in China's internal affairs, Zhao said. 

The Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese foreign ministry in the HKSAR on Thursday also refuted the G7 statement and urged G7 countries to reject double standards and stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs. 

The statement, said a spokesperson, has confounded right with wrong, openly meddled with Hong Kong affairs, which are China's internal affairs, and violated international law and basic norms governing international relations.

The spokesperson said that the central government has and will continue to extensively solicit opinions from across the Hong Kong society through multiple channels and means in drafting the legislation.

The fact that the relevant decision was almost unanimously passed at the National People's Congress and that nearly 3 million Hong Kong citizens signed a petition endorsing it in eight days fully shows that the legislation has gained broad support among people in the mainland and Hong Kong. The legislation is in line with both the trend of the times and people's will, and is therefore unstoppable.

The spokesperson emphasized that the Chinese government is firmly committed to safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests, implementing the "One Country, Two Systems" policy, and opposing any external interference in Hong Kong affairs. The national security legislation for the HKSAR is not to be smeared, interfered with or hampered. 

"We urge relevant countries to reflect upon themselves, reject double standards, shake off ideological bias and bloc politics, and stop futile interference," said the spokesperson.